Renegade said:
I have communicated directly with Yen recently. That is when I posted that there is another side to this situation.
I will say this about Yen Makabenta. He has worked tirelessly to improve the lot of professional pool in the Philipines. It is mainly thru his efforts that the WPC was brought there by Matchroom.
He has also worked hard to create new and bigger tournaments for pro players to play in around Asia. You will soon see an all new Asian Ten Ball tour. And they have a telelvision show set to kick off in September. All these are opportunities for professional players to make a living and become more well known, so they can get endorsements and private sponsorship. And they can win real money too!
Being a pool promoter can be a thankless task. You're a bad guy if you somehow make money at it, and you are perceived as taking advantage of the pool players. It is not easy to produce events as anyone who has done it will attest. Most promoters do it for the love of the game. I suspect Yen has not been enriched for his efforts thus far, and many pool players have. Ronnie Alcano to name one.
If Pool is prospering in Asia and in the Philipines, Yen has been instrumental in making that happen. And unlike some recent American promoters, the players DO get paid over there when they win. By the way, foreign players are being invited to participate in these tournaments. It is not a closed door for them. And a few will be going, like Shane VB.
